Mask structure



1944- J. E. DU-GGAN 2,363,845

MASK STRUCTURE Original FiledMay 18, 1942 INVENTOR. JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN 1 ATTO R N EYS I andeflicient in operation.

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE structures adapted during painting or, plating operations to protectoneor more portio'nsofan article from paint or plating material applied to one or more adjacent portions thereof, andconstitutes a division of my application filed May 18, 1942,bearing Serial No; 443,518. 5

- More specifically, this invention refers to masks adapted to be appliedto the splined end portion of a shaft to prevent ,paint or plating material from contactingor passing onto the splines and a marginal portionof one endof the shaft when plated. I I

One of the essential objects of the invention is one or more portions of the shaftare painted or to provide a maskcapa'hle of thoroughly protecting the splines and marginalend portion of the shaft Without in any painting or plating operation. I I

Another object is to provide a mask that may be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the splines and end portion" tolbe protected way interfering with the With0llt marring or impairing any part of, the

shaft. I

Another object is to provide a mask that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture;

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent asthi's description proceeds, especially The mask B has a body It provided with a centralY opening I6 conforming in shape to and adapted to receive the splined portion IIlof the shaft, and is provided at the outer end of the opening I I6 with an. inwardly extending annular flange I'I adapted to overlie the marginal portion I I2 of the adjacent end I3 of the shaft. I Preferably the mask B is a. one piece element and is formed entirely of resilient material such I as rubber or rubber composition. I I

I In the present. instance themask B has intert nal splinesor projections 20 that project radially I inward from the wall of the central opening I6,

and mate with the splines. I I of the splined portion I0 throughout their length so 'as to cover and protect the working surfaces of said splines II. The inwardly extending flange IIcovers and protects the marginal portion I2 of the end I3 of the shaft, hence only the central portion 2I of said end isexposed through the circular open- I ing 22 provided by the annular flange II.

when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein? Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a shaft and showing a mask embodying my invention applied to a splined portion thereof, with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the mask perse;

I Figure 4 is another end view of the mask per se. Referring now to thedrawing, A is a shaft pro- I vided at one end with a splined portion II), and

B is a mask embodying my invention for protecting the splines II and a marginal portion I2 of the adjacent end I3 of the shaft from paint or portions of the shaft. f v As shown, the splined portion II) of the shaft tapers from an annularshoulder. I4 to the adjacent end I3 of the shaft so that the splines I I are "inclined somewhat to the axis of the shaft. How-,

ever, itwill be understood that the splined portion I 0 may beconcentric with the axis of the shaft, and the splines II may be parallel to the axis of said shaft.

plating material applied to the rest or other If desired, the outer endsof the splines II may be tapered slightly, and the inner face of the. annular flange I! may be likewiseitapered or have a tapered portion to engage the tapered ends of the splines. In use, the maskB may be sleeved upon the I splined portion I 0' of the shaftto the position illustrated in Figure 1 by first aligning the in-, ternalsplines 20 of the mask with the spacers or grooves 30 betweentheexternal splines II of the I shaft, andthen slipping the mask endwise upon the splined portion I0 until the inner end of the mask is substantially flush with the shoulder I4. When the mask is in its masking Position as illustrated in Figure 1 the working surfaces. of the splines I I and themarginal portion I2 of the ad- ,jacent end I3 of the shaft are completely covered and protected against paint and plating material applied to the other portions of the shaft. Thus,

the mask will effectively prevent paint or plating material applied to other portions of the shaft from engaging the working surfaces of the splines I I and the marginal portion I2.

Preferably the mask B is undersized relative to the splined portion I0 of theshait so that it has to be stretched slightly when it is applied to said splined portion. Hence the inherent resiliency of the mask and the tension under which it is placed when applied will be sufficient to hold it in snug engagement with the splined portion I 0 of the shaft when the mask is in operative masking position,

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A mask for protecting a splined end portion of a shaft from paint or plating material applied to other portions of said shaft, comprising a one piece resilient member having an opening for receiving the splined portion, teeth projecting radially inward from the walls of said opening for surface to surface engagement with the splines of said splined portion, and an annular flange at one end of the opening for surface to surface engagement with an adjacent end of said shaft.

2. A mask for protecting a splined end portion of a shaft from paint or plating material applied to other portions of said shaft, comprising a stretchable member having a splined portion cunforming in shape to and adapted to be stretched endwise upon the splined end portion of the shaft and having an annular flange engageable "in surface to surface relation with an adjacent .end of said shaft.

3. A mask of the class described comprising a resilient annulus having on'the inside thereof circumferentially spaced projections for mating engagement with the splines of a splined portion of a shaft and having at one end an inwardly extending flange for engagement with an end of the splined portion of the shaft.

4. Means for protecting simultaneously the working surfaces of .circumferentially spaced splines .of a splined end portion of azshaft and a marginal portion of the adjacent endof said shaft from paint or plating material applied to the body portion of the shaft, comprising a resilient relatively elastic onepiece solid annular masking element having an interior perimetrical surface substantially less than the exterior perimetrical surface of said splined portionso that said masking portion maybe fitted by stretching it under tension onto the working surfaces to be masked, said masking element having inwardl-y extending radial projections so spaced and of such depth and thickness that when the masking element is stretched onto the working surfaces to be masked said radial projections will be squeezed into snug non-slip surface to surface engagement with said working surfaces to prevent paint or plating material applied to the body of the shaft from entering the spaces between the splines'of said splined portion, said masking element also having an inwardly pro jecting annular flange adapted to overlie in surface to surfacerelation the adjacent end of the shaft when the radial projections aforesaid are squeezed into snug engagement as aforesaid with said working surfaces to prevent paint or plating material applied to the body of the shaft from contacting the marginal portion aforesaid of said shaft.

5. Means for protecting simultaneously the working surfaces of circumferentially spaced splines of a splined end portion of a shaft and a portion of the adjacent end of said shaft from paint or platingmaterial applied to the body portion of the shaft, comprising a resilient relatively elastic solid annular masking elementhaving an interior perimetrical surface substantially less than the exterior perimetrical surface of said splined portion so that said masking element may be fitted by-stretching it under tension onto the working surfaces to be masked, said masking element having inwardly extending radial projections so spaced and of such depth. and thickness that when the masking element is stretched onto the working surfaces to :be

masked said radial projections will be squeezed into snug non-slip surface to surface engagement with said working surfaces to prevent paint or plating material applied to the body of the shaft from entering the spaces between the splines of said splined portion, said masking element also having at one end thereof an inwardly projecting flange adapted to overlie in surface to surface relation the adjacent end of the shaft when the radial projections aforesaid are squeezed into snug engagement as aforesaid with said working surfaces to prevent paint or plating material applied to the body of the shaft from contacting the portion aforesaid of the adjacent end of said shaft. I JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN.. 

